Truckie escapes serious injury in highway crash

A TRUCK driver, 39, was lucky to escape serious injury when his rig crashed on to its side on the Bruce Highway about 20km north of St Lawrence yesterday.

The crash occurred about 5am, 140km south of Mackay, and caused minor traffic delays on the highway throughout the day.

''The initial report was that the truck driver was trapped, but we believe he was out by the time all emergency crews arrived,'' a Queensland Ambulance spokesman said.

A passing bus driver also stopped to help free the truckie, police said.

The driver, who was from Goodna, near Ipswich, suffered abdominal pain after the crash and was transported to the Mackay Base Hospital by RACQ-CQ Rescue.

He was in a stable condition in hospital by 7.30am.

Sarina fire crews and ambulances from Carmila and St Lawrence also attended.

The highway was closed at various times during the day to allow rescuers to secure the site, to let the helicopter and medical crew land and to allow a crane to lift the wreckage on to another prime mover for removal.

The highway was open again just after lunch, police said. Investigations into the crash are continuing.